Influences of Knowledge of Medicine on Medicine Utilization Behavior

의약품 관련 지식과 사용행태 연구

This study was conducted to provide basic data for development of public information program and public policy which could prevent the medicine abuse in Korea, examining the level of knowledge of medicine and its related factors. Data were collected from the 2,011 residents who live in mtropolitan cities, large-sized cities, small and medium cities, and small towns The results of this study are summarized as follows. 1) In case of purchasing of medicines in pharmacy, 67.3％ of the respondents chose the medicines through recommendations of the professionals such as pharmacists and doctors, while 32.7％ of the respondents chose the medicine through self-judgement, advertizing, or recommendation of relative. 2) 64.7％ of the respondents obtained the information on medicines through TV. It appeared to be higher in the groups of female of the twenties, the unmarred, a brother and sister threesome, highschool graduates, housewives, residents in small and medium cities, atheists, and the middle class, displaying the significant difference from the other groups. 3) 40.5％ of the respondents recognized the side effect of the medicine when they took the medicine, while 34.4％ did not recognize it. The rate of experience in the side effect was 39.7％. The informations on the medicine abuse and the risk of addiction were obtained through broadcast media (47.9％), publications (12.1％), and health professionals (11.6％). 4) 81.1％ of the respondents experienced taking of the fatigue relieving medicine. The experience in taking of the fatigue relieving medicine appeared to be higher in the groups of the forties. the married. a brother and sister threesome. highschool graduates. persons engaging in farming, livestock raising, and forestry, the residents in small towns, and Christians. Each group displayed the significant difference from the other groups. 5) According to the level of knowledge of medicines, the respondents marked average 11.7 ± 3.76 points on the base of 24 points. It appeared to be higher in the groups of female of the twenties, a brother and sister foursome, college graduates, teachers, Catholics, and the middle class, displays the significant difference from the other groups. 6) According to the experience in taking of health medicine and health food, 81.1％ of respondents had the experience in taking ‘the fatigue relieving medicine’; 72.4％ ‘carrot or vegetable juice’; 69.5％ ‘ginseng’; 63.0％ ‘mushroom’; 42.5％ ‘dog meat’; 38.0％ ‘aloe’; 36.4 ‘deer antlers’; 11.4％ ‘snake’; 2.0％ ‘the penis of a fur seal’. 7) The factors influencing the level of knowledge of medicine include experiences in taking of the tonic, the fatigue relieving medicine, and the nutritive medicine, economic status, the number of brothers and sisters, education level, marital status, father's education level, and age. The factors influencing the experience in side effect of medicine are experiences in taking of the fatigue relieving medicine, the nutritive medicine, and the tonic, sex, age, education level, father's education level, marital status, economic status, religion, and the number of brothers and sisters. In conclusion, it is estimated that the level of knowledge of medicines is significantly low in Korea. Especially, it is found out that workmen, students, the upper class, the class of low education level, and persons engaging in farming, livestock raising, and forestry neglect importance of knowledge of medicine. Therefore, it is necessary for public authority, associations related, and health professionals to develop programs for public information and education to help people obtain basic knowledge of medicine.